Analyst Expects iWatch In Two Sizes, 128GB iPhone And iPad Air 2 Reveal Next Week

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In general, the anticipations of analysts are things you can safely ignore, but a new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac) is worth a look, especially given his track record of successfully predicting Apple’s product roadmap – and according to Kuo, there’s a lot in store for us next week at Apple’s special event, including a new iPad.

So far, we’ve generally been hearing that the event on Tuesday, September 9 will play host to the reveal of new iPhones, as well as a new Apple wearable (the ‘iWatch’ that’s been rumored for years now, though the name and nature of the device is up in the air). But Kuo also says there will be an iPad Air 2 at the event, which would mean this is an especially action-packed affair. It could also mean Apple intends to get all of its fall product announcements out in one go this year, instead of spreading them out over two events across September and October as it has generally done in recent years.

No word on what exactly it would entail, but this could imply a modest update for the company’s tablet. It’s also still possible that Apple would then hold a separate October event for Mac news, including new hardware and the official consumer launch of OS X Mavericks. In any case, Kuo says that there will be plenty of iWatch news next week, too, with a device that comes in both 1.4 and 1.5-inch screen sizes, and a huge 8GB of internal storage (most Android Wear devices have only 4), plus 512MB of RAM. That would make it a powerful contender, on par with the iPhone 4S on paper.

The iWatch will reportedly contain a number of sensors on the back to measure vital signs, and should offer a gold color option per Kuo. It’ll still likely ship in early 2015, however, with an announcement coming now to jumpstart developer interest.

As for the iPhone, Kuo says that both 4.7- and 5.5-inch versions will launch next week, and that they’ll gain a 128GB storage option at the top end. Again, it’s worth taking the predictions of analysts with a big grain of salt, but Kuo has nailed past launches, and this is the most solid information we’ve heard thus far about Apple’s wearable plans, and the mention of a possible iPad unveil is also tantalizing.